Ryan Reynolds is known for his wild social media antics, which are hilarious on just about any given occasion. However, what I’d argue is even more humorous is when his good friends get in on the shenanigans as well. A person who typically joins the hilarity is Rob McElhenney, who – like Ryenolds is a co-owner of the Welsh football team Wrexham A.F.C. Their work with the organization has been chronicled over two seasons of the docuseries Welcome to Wrexham (which can be streamed with a Hulu subscription). While the show is on hiatus, a fan used McElhenney and Reynolds when creating spoofs of popular album covers – and they’re perfect.
The fan in question, who is an X user by the name of DarthPunk69, has some sweet skills. The basis for the artist’s two designs was the classic ‘80s pop duo Wham! For their creations, the user opted to superimpose Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s faces onto George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s on the Last Christmas and Fantastic albums. This may sound weird, but the results cannot be argued with. McElhenny shared them on his Instagram and shouted out the artist, and you can check out the post below:
I personally wasn’t around in the ‘80s but, somehow, even I’m getting swept up in the nostalgia. Seriously, I’m amazed by just how great these spoofs are, and I’m not the only one who’s impressed by the looks of it. A few celebrities also chimed in on the post such as singer Rob Thomas, who simply said, “This.” Meanwhile, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer weighed in with a string of laughing emojis. And to top it all off, the account for FX, which is the first-run home of Welcome to Wrexham, chimed in with, “There's a seat by our fireplace for you boys.” That’s quite the sentiment and one that few would probably scoff at.
In addition to Rob McElhenney’s share, Ryan Reynolds also dropped the Fantastic cover on his Instagram stories. Fan art can definitely vary, as some pieces are a bit more tasteful than others. However, I love that DarthPunk69’s covers turned out so well and that the stars themselves seemed to appreciate his efforts.
If anything, these album covers further signify just how synonymous the two actors have become since they took on ownership positions with the football club. This unlikely partnership was apparently initiated when Ryan Reynolds reached out to Rob McElhenney. The Canadian actor wanted to commend McElhenney on the “Mac Finds His Pride” episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. From there, a friendship was born, and the two have experienced ups and downs as team owners. They’ve taken financial hits, including a loss of $12 million, though they’ve also seen the organization reach massive milestones. Reynolds’ frenemy Hugh Jackman has even been supportive while simultaneously throwing jabs when Wrexham loses.
Speaking of the Australian actor, it would actually be interesting to know what he thinks about the album covers. I’d imagine he’d say something hilariously snarky if he were to see them. These Wham! tributes will receive no shade from me whatsoever, though, and I hope DarthPunk69 crafts some similar mock-ups. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I suddenly feel the need to throw on “Bad Boys.”
Anyone looking for some football-related action, though, should check out Welcome to Wrexham’s two seasons on FX, and know that the third season will drop as part of the 2024 TV schedule.
